Gang-plow



4Sheets-Sheet l,

Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

GANG PLoW.

P. P. *LA-NDIS.

(No Model.)

lll:

. NVENTFI Y Mf-Jwm Olm. .t e. e h S Lb e e h S 4 S. l D N A L nr. L n. d o M. 0 /N\ GANG PLOW.

Patented N v. .8, 1887.

IN VENTOR A torney WITNESSES N. PETERS, Plwmumagraphsr, washngwn. D. c.

(NoMoaeL') n 4'sheets-sheep s.;

' `F. F. LNDIS.

GANG PLOW.

Patented-Nov. 8 1887.

[N VEIYTOR.'

WITNESSES:

N. Pneus Phnwumogmpm. washington, D. a

(N0`Mode1.) I

' F. F. LANDIS.

- GANG PLOW.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4l No. 872,854.l Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

mmfESES:

IINITEDY STATES PATENT EETCE.

FRANK F. LANDIS, OF WAYNESBOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

GANG-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'Letters Patent No. 372,854, dated November 8, 1887.

Application filed-December 1 3. 1885. Serial No. 185,076. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK F. LANDTs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waynesborough, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gang-Flows, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. v

My invention relates mainly to improvementsin gang-plows propelled by tractionengines; and the objects of my improvement are to facilitate the adjustment of the front end of each plow-beam of the gang, to prevent its lateral oscillation and obviate the danger of breaking some of the plows or their points or the lifting apparatus thereof, and also to facilitate the lifting of the plows. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the vaccompanying drawings, in whichy Figurel is a side view of the draft-bars and `connecting-links of a gang-plow constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same,with parts in horizontal section. Fig. 3 represents, in horizontal section and side view, one of the brackets used to support the draft-bars. Fig. 3 is a modication of a pair of brackets. Fig. 4 represents,in front and side view, one of the washers used between the brackets and supportinglinks. Fig. 5 represents, in frontA and side view,one of the supporting-links. Figs. 6 and- 7 represent front views of the draft-bar socket and jointed parts shown in section in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 represents the means for elevating and releasing one of the plows of a gang. Fig. 9 represents, in top view and horizontal section, a part of a plow-beam and its supportinghook. Fig. 10 represents a modication of the supporting -link and bracket. Fig. 11 represents a front and side view of the draftbar socket shown in Fig. 8. Figs. 12', 13, and 14 represent, respectively, in top and sectional side views the gang-plow frame and means to elevate the plows by steam-power. Fig. 15 represents, in top view, a modification ofthe frame and means to elevate thevplows.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the diagonal beam of the gangplw frame, A the longitudinalbeam, and A2 the transverse beam. To the rear of the latter is attached the forward end of the iiat rods a2, that connect the beam A2 with the plows or with the diagonal beam A, and relieve the latter from strain. To connect the traction-rods t2 to the diagonal beam at proper distance apart, and thereby prevent any lateral swaying of the plow-beams, small hollow brackets B are used, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 or in Fig. 3". Each bracket has an opening on two of its sides, the opening b to receive a bolt, b', to secure the bracket to the side of the beam A, and a hole, b?, to receive the bolt b3, upon which is adjustably secured the link or slotted hanger D.A To facilitate the adjustment the hanger has its rear-face provided with transverse serrations d, some of which are made to engage with corresponding serrations made upon the face of a washer, C, carried by the bolt b3, and said washer is provided with a lu'g, c, that enters the slot in the hanger, and is thereby prevented from turning. Y.

In place of the brackets B a single plate, as shown at B4 in Fig. 10, may be secured to the under side of the diagonal beam A, said plate having lugs b4, projecting from its top, to bear against the sides of the beam to prevent any lateral motion of said plate. Its -ends are serrated to engage with the serrations upon the link or slotted hanger D; but I prefer the brackets B, particularly when provided with an extended base, as shown in Fig. 3, through which two bolts b are made to pass, and a strong fastening is obtained for said brackets to the beam A.

The hangers D are connected at their lower end by means of a bolt, E, having a sleeve, e, thereon between said hangers, and outside of said hangers are mounted upon said bolt the forward end of the branches of the V-shaped bail F. The rear end of said branches forms a rectangular bar, which fits into a corresponding hole in the casting G. A wooden. pin, f, passes through the side of the casting and through the rear end of the bail and retains these parts immovably unitedtogether. If

the rear end of bail F did not t in its socket, the motion due to thelooseness ofthe parts would soon wear away and transversely cut the wooden pin. f

Tothe rear of the casting G is adjustably IOO secured, by nnans ol' bolts g, the casting H, having side lugs, l1, through which passes t-he metal pin i, and said pin passes also through the clevis I, bolted to the forward end of the plow-beam J. The rear end of the' casting G and the forward end ofthe casting H are provided with serrations y and if, that become interlocked and produce another adjustable joint between the end of the plow-beam and the notched hangers D.

rIhe washer Gis for the purpose of preventing the link from slipping up or down without entirely depending upon the friction which the bolt b3 would naturally produce between the link and block or bracket I3. It might be thought that the washer C could be dispensed with and have the notches direct upon the bracket, as in Fig. lt). This would be so if the links or hangers were always standing vertically; but it will be noticed that the rods a2 (that are attached to the transverse beam A, through which nearly all the resistance of the plows when in the ground is overcome) are of a fixed length, and by raising or lowering the links D the end of the rods a2 will move in an arc or curve, which will cause the links D to be out of a vertical position, and as the washer C has a smooth surface next to the block Il the notched surfaces will always adjust themselves one to the other. The notches on the side of slotted links and the notched washer are not indispensable, as the outer surface of the bracket b and the inner surface of the slotted link D can be smooth and held by friction; but then they are more liable to become shifted out of place if the bolts b become a little loose. It will be seen that by these notched links the first joint between the plow-frame and the plow-beam can be raised and lowered, and each independent one of the other. rIhisappears in practice to be of great importance, as the point of attaehi'nent to the plow-frame can bc lct down when it is re quired.

I am aware that it is not new to attach a gang of plows to a diagonal beam with two joints; but I have always found the iirst joint to be iixed in its relation to the diagonal beam, and thus, in order to raise and lower the iirst joint, an adjustment of the ent-ire diagonal beam or plowvframc is required, and while such adjustment might be correct for thc proper running of some of the plows, it would be entirely unsuited for the other plows. The gage-wheel IU is held in proper relation to the plow-beam J by the adjustable bell-crank lcver K, pivotcd to said beam, the gagc-wheel being pivoted to one end of said lever, while the opposite end is retained by a bolt, 1.', passing through the slotted segment K2. By this construction the forward end of the plowbeam can be brought close to the ground, as I have found that position most desirable for good plowing.

To release each plow from connection with the gang-frame when said plow strikes a stone or a root and the wooden pin f breaks and simply leaves it sticking in the ground, the connection between the lifting-chain L and cach plow-beam consists of a hook, M, secured to said beam and having its point toward the front, so that the link of the chain placed thereon will easily slip off in case the plow becomes arrested in the ground; but to prevent the chain-link from slipping off under the ordinary joltings experienced while plowing there is pivoted to the side of the body of the hook M a hooked latch, m, having its rear end weighted, and its forward or hooked end isin front oflink upon the hook M.

To facilitate the raising of the plows out of the ground,steam is conducted through apipe, i1, against the upper side of a piston placed within the cylinder N. Said cylinder is placed in any convenient position upon the machine, or at an angle, as shown, upon a beam, l\", having its lower end secured upon the longitudinal beam A', its middle portion resting upon a truss-frame, A4, secured on top of the diagonal beam A, and its upper end extending over the plow-beams, where it carries a pulley, at, to receive the chain a, having one end secured to the end of the pistonrod n2, while the opposite end is bifurcated and carries a light beam, P, having pendent therefrom the short lengths of chain L, that connect it to each plow-beam.

The lifting device just described is a cheap and simple form, but in practice does not always work well, as when using one beam, as N, the weight of the gang of plows must be uniformly distributed along the light beam P; but some of the plows may require more power to raise them out of the ground than the others, and they will not he raised simultaneously as the beam P would become tilted. I therefore prefer locating the steamcylinder N upon or alongside ofthe longitudinal beam A,as shown in Fig. l5, and using two beams N', having their lower ends secured upon the transverse beam At; or they may be secured upon the beam A, according to the width of the gang. They rest,also,upon the truss-frame A4. Each beam carries near its upper end a pulley, a, upon which passes the chain a5, having its two ends secured to the beam P and its middle portion secured around a pulley attached to the end of the piston-rod, guide-pulleys a being also secured to the beam A to properly direct the chain.

Having now fully described my invention, I claiml. In combination with a diagonal beam of a gang-plow and a series of plows, the brackets secured to the diagonal beam,having bolts bi projecting from their outer end, a serrated washer upon said bolts, and a slotted hanger having sei-rations, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the diagonal beam of a gang-plow and a plow furnished with a gage-wheel, the brackets secured to the diagonal beam, the serrated washers and hang- IOO IIO

ers, and the traction-rods cuniting the hangers to the transverse beam, substantially as described. Y

3. The combination of a diagonal and a transverse beam of a gang-plow,the adj ustable hangers pendent from the diagonal beam, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected to the bail of the plow-beam, and castings G and H, or their. described equivalents, pivotally connected to the plow-beam, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of diagonaland transverse beams of a gang-plow, the rods a2, secured to the transverse beam, the adjustable hangers carrying the rods a2, for the purpose specied, and the V-shaped bail F, with the plow-beam and intermediate adjustable connection, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the lifting-chain L, the plowloeam, and the hook M, secured thereto and engaging withthe chain, with the latch upon the side of the hook, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination of the longitudinal and diagonal beams of a gangplow, the truss-frame upon the latter beam, and the inclined beam or beams N', resting upon said frame, with the steam-cylinder N, its piston-rod, the chain or chains c5, and light beam P, having a series of short pendent chains, substantially as and'for the purpose described.

7. In a gang-plow, the combination of a plowbeam, a Ihook,M, and a latch,as m,both secured to said plow-beam, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK F. LANDIS. 

